The invention relates to an apparatus or process for wrapping an article with a web. In particular the web is a heat shrinkable material.
Machines for moving an article or groups of articles through the plane of a continuous film, wrapping the article or articles with the film, sealing and severing the film, and than shrinking the film around the article or articles, are exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,046,600; 4,870,802; 4,365,456; 4,319,443; 4,706,444; 4,341,057 and 3,191,356. These patents are incorporated by reference. Basically, such machines provide a generally horizontal conveyor for moving the articles along a path. A film is vertically extended across the path of the articles from supply rolls above and below. As leading edge of the articles is moved through the plane of the film each roll rotates thereby supplying additional film that wraps the articles. As each article displaces the film a portion of the film drawn from below and another portion of the film drawn from above, cover the front and top of the article. A moving bar pulls the film from above behind the article thereby wrapping the article. After wrapping the article, the film is sealed and severed behind the article. The film is sealed across the width of the film along two spaced lines and is severed between the lines. This results in a wrapped article, which is separated from the remaining film. The remaining film is united to the upper and lower rolls by the seal so that the next article or group of articles can intercept the film. Then the wrapped article is moved through a heated tunnel to shrink the film.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,444 shows using wrapping bars where the final end portion of the wrapping material is folded over the article by the movement of a conveyor. The article is moved on the film by pushing the article onto the film.
These machines shown in these references are both expensive and complex. This invention reduces the complexity of wrapping an article with a film by providing a machine that is simple to operate and inexpensive to construct. An article can include a number of items that are bundled together to be wrapped.